The Last Temptation of Sarah Jane
by Sir Talen
Summary: Requisat in Pace, Ms. Sladen.
The ironic thing, Sarah thought, was that she had gotten into the habit of driving the little Citroen for safety's sake, because it lacked things like cruise control, electronic doors and locks, anti-lock brakes and many other things that an unfriendly alien visiting Earth might find terribly _useful_ to manipulate if they wanted to get rid of a pesky female reporter. Of course that also meant that the Citroen also lacked a few other modern features, like air bags and crumple zones, the lack of which Sarah found herself deeply regretting as the big red articulated lorry turned the wrong way into the street and started to climb up her car's bonnet.

Sarah blinked, rain drops frozen in front of her. She was standing a few feet away from the crushed remains of her car, statues of people pointing and running towards it, mobiles at the ready. She leaned her head around one Samaritan, to see one of the lorry's tires pressing down on the hood, right where the driver had been sitting.

 _Sarah Jane,_ a voice said behind her. She didn't bother to turn around, recognizing it immediately. No need to see the white face, all sharp teeth and blank eyes, staring at her from under its black hood.

"Go away," Sarah said firmly. "I don't want your gifts, Trickster. You have absolutely nothing that I need."

 _I offer you life, Sarah Jane,_ the Trickster said.

"After trying to get rid of me so many times?"

 _Why waste an opportunity when it presents itself? Let me freeze this moment in your personal timeline, Sarah Jane. Live forever, for the price of a favor._

"No deal," she said, her voice growing brittle with anger. "Because you'd want to use me to hurt someone, someone that I love. I never expected to die in bed anyway."

 _Perhaps not._ A bone white hand reached over her shoulder to point at the wreckage. _But do really want_ _ **this**_ _to be the ending you are remembered for? So ignoble, after saving your world so many times._

"Nothing lasts forever, everything ends," she said.

 _But who will defend the Earth, without you?_

Sarah turned to face him, looking up into his dead, lying eyes. "I am not the only defender of this world and you _know it_. There's the Doctor, and UNIT, and even Torchwood, God help us. Luke and his friends know enough now to carry on the fight without me."

 _Ah, Luke…Your son. He will miss you. He barely had a chance to know you._

"He'll get by," she said, with more conviction in her voice than she felt. "You can't offer me anything that's worth the price I'd have to pay."

 _Not even the chance to see your grandchildren?_ the Trickster asked, its cold breath blowing in her face.

Sarah was silent for a long moment. Finally, she said, "I reject you, Trickster. I want _nothing_ you have to give. _Go away._ "

The Trickster hissed, drawing its cloak around itself as it faded from view. _As you will. You win one final time, Sarah Jane Smith, but you have no time left to enjoy your victory._

"My choice," she said softly. Sarah closed her eyes, waiting for the darkness.

To her surprise, she felt warmth bathe her face. Sarah opened her eyes again, a golden light in front of her, emerging from a familiar blue box. She felt her heart flip in her chest. The Doctor was here, the Doctor would fix… She clamped down hard on that thought, before it could grow into false conviction. There some rules the Doctor couldn't break, not even for her.

"No," Sarah said. "I told you once already. Give it up and go away, Trickster."

"The Trickster is already gone. Your will was too strong for his lies," a voice said beside her. Sarah turned, to find herself facing a young woman in a tattered Victorian dress.

"And who might you be then?" Sarah asked. "What's the price you want me to pay for my life?"

The woman smiled. "You can call me Idris, and I don't offer you life. I offer you a… continuation. A chance to keep traveling."

"As a ghost?"

"As a Companion," Idris said. "My Companion, for the times when my Thief is not with me."

"Your thief?" Sarah asked, then looked closer at the young woman, and then to the magical blue box beside her. "You're…?"

"Yes," Idris answered. "I am Legion, and I contain multitudes. I still have room for you, if you would wish."

Sarah swallowed. "Would I see Luke again?"

"I'm sorry. I can't see that far ahead, Sarah. But the universe is a vast place. Anything might happen."

"Well," Sarah said. "Let's come along and see then." She took Idris' hand and stepped aboard.


End file.
